Suspension clamp



Feb. 24, 193']. F. H. MILLER 1,793,505

SUSPENSION CLAMP Filed Dec. 9. 1927 AT'i'ORNEY r Patented Feb. 24, 1931 FREDERIC H.1MILLERQ, or wrnxrnsnuncr,

ra s-mums, Assreiioit 'ro' wnlsrING- VANIA it SUSPENSION CILAME" V w Application filed llece'mlier 9, 19 27. Serial No, 238,795.,

h My invention relates to suspension clamps and particularly to clamps tor suspending high-voltage transmission-line conductors. '1 V One object of my invention is to provide a' 5 clamp of the abovefindicate'd character that shall comprise substantially; rigid clamping means'to eflectibindingclampingof a yieldability of. the conductor," and clamp in parts, and that shall ioperate"to expel-the clamping members from' ea ch, other, when v released, in response to predetermined move. ment of the conductor l *Anothenobject of'my invention is to'proe vide a suspension clamp that shall embody-a novel suspending-yoke and clamping-member structure whereby fixedlegs of the yoke, of less distance apart than portions on the clamping member with which they? are to 20 cooperate, may be freely passed intosuspending parts. H r

Another object of my invention isto provide a suspension clamp that shall be simple position, during the assembly of the and durable in construction, economical'to manufacture and eifective in its operation. 1'

WVhile certain features ofmy invention are p ing means which'does not impose constant applicable to a suspension clamp having clamping means'ofany suitabletype, it has these, and other, features which are particularly related to a clamp of the so-calledslip, or automatic-release, type which releases the conductor, when the latter is broken, or, when,'by other abnormal conditions, the, sus-' pension insulator, to which the clamp 'is' attached, swings" through I a predetermined angle to'one side of the normal suspended position thereof. v

Thepart of my invention which is applicableto clamps in general, irrespective of the particular clamping means employed, 7 although particularly adapted for the abovementioned slip clamps, comprises a structure wherein a suspension yoke "is 1 preferably pivoted to the clamp about an axis transverse to the conductor and-l'substantiallyithrough the conductor axisfl This feature permits normalv line oscillations'to move through the clamp Withoutimposing undue vibrational i .7

stress. onthesuspensionyoke, suspension-in 'sulator stringand adjacent tower'parts, and I p p p v a clamp embodying .it is known as a centerc0nductor,"by substantially only'theinherent trunnion clamp."-

s a In clamps oi'..,.this typ'eysome diiiiculty :has

been 'exiperiencediin" providing effective, pivot- 5. means, 1 or trunnions, for: attachment" toa suspension element or yoke therefor-{the trunnions having'beenmounted impositionv j by a linksandsboltstructure which, in I efiect, con'stltute a second "yoke having its freeends connectedtothefreeiefi dsof the suspensionv yoke. and embracing the lower portion of the. clamp." This featureadds expense and weight to the -structure.

- Also, in clamps of cam-clamping, means having substantially constantly movable rubbing frictional en'- gagement with one of the clamping members 7 7 It has been suggested-to employcamclampfrictional wear on'any of "thefpartsqbunin anyof the clamps-of this "type of'whichI am aware, springs of one kind or another, s

have beenconsidered essential elements.

It is my aim to overcome allot the objec- I tions above mentioned and, accordingly, in practicingmy ll'lVGlltlOIl, I provide a clamp,

in which the: above-mentioned-secondviyoke' and the springs ofth'e'clamps of thesliptype are omitted and: other. structure so provided in their stead as to produce a clampof'ma-I I the. above-mentioned slip type,'many expedients have been sug- 'gested, including springs and cams of v'ari-i V ouskinds. These clamps have also embodied Fig. 2 is a view,taken at right angles to Fig. 1, substantially along the vertical central axis thereof, 1

Fig. 3 is a detail side elevational view,

taken at right angles to the lower portion of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a detail View, similar to Fig. 3, of a modified form of my invention, and

Fig. 5 is a central view of the modification shown in Fig. 4, taken at. right angles thereto.

'Referring toFigs. ,1, 2 and 3, the device comprises, in general, a' lower channel or clamping member 2 for the reception of a conductor 3, an upper. elamplng or shoe mem- 'ber.4,la clamping cam element .5-and a sus'-.

pension member or yoke 6;

The channel member 2 is providedwith flared end portions 8, a slightly depressed central clamping sur-tace portion' Q, longitudinall extendin re-inforcin under-ribs 10, and laterally apertured projections 11 extending upwardly; from adjacent to the centersof the side 'ber2=."* p I Theiupper clamping member-or s'hoe54 is provided with fiared endportions 16, an under-surface 1'? substantially conforming. to

V the surface of the conductor. 3, a slightlyde pendingcentral portion 19-disposect over, and substantially conforming to, the depressed portion 9.3011 the channelmember 2, and up.-

.wardly projecting portions 20; between the projections 11 of the channel inember2.

The cam element 5fco1nprises a-lat'eral ly 'apertured': central boss portion 22,, a.- dependingiea m portion 23 forenga'gement. withthe p theboss portion 22,andthe projectionsxll. which it relatively'closely. The pin 25 also extends through vertically elongated other-suitable, portion 29, at'its upper or" i I lowerend'of HJlSLlZLlSBIlQS-Stllhg, suspensions'hoe member 4, andiipwardly 'p'1ojecting and diverging.lug-portions 24., A bolt or pin member 25 extends across the. channel member- 2 above the conductor 3: and through slotsj27'in the projections 20=ofthe shoe'memher 4, to permit clamping and releasing movements, and to prevent the. separation of the shoe 4 relative to thechannel member 2;

'lhe yoke member 6-.comprises a sockeno'r closed- "end, for mounting thefielamp at the insulator unitor other support, 'andhas side leg's30 disposed atopposite sides'of the chan-V n'el: member 2. The latter is provided with trunnion portions 32 that may be provided thereon in anysuitable manner and prefera b'lyfare disposed in alignmentwith each other along an axisi'extending through the conwalls 14 of the channel meni- I In order to permit the assembly of the yoke structure 6 relativeto the trunnions 32, without having the trunnions 32 constitute sepaas more clearly shown in Fig. 3, to permit the longitudinal passage thereof, duringassembly, over the trunnions, the free ends 34 having lower portions35 of slightly greater disrate members, the free ends 34 are bifurcated,

tance apart than the diameter of the trun- I nions 32. The ends 34 also have apertured central portions 36 of greater internal diameter than the opening between the lower portions 35 to receive bearing members 37 between the free ends 3.4 and the trunnions 32 and torprovide shoulders .38 by which the trunnions 32, the free ends 34 andjthebear- .ing members 37 are interlocked in position.

Cotter pins, or other yieldable pin elements 40 maybe disposed in apertures in the lower portions 35 and the lower portion of the bearmemberfi'Z to secure these, members; in position, as by bending over theen'gds of the In assembling the; parts, above described, .atterrthe' conductor 3 has been placed in t channel member: 2 f-and the shoe member 4 and the cam :(elemeiit-5placed-in the positions shown, the member 2 is placedi'in' position in which vit is held by cotter .pin. 41.

With these; parts; soasSembl-ed, the cam eleme'nt 5 be moved to-the clamping position=shown by any; suitableimplement adapted for this purpose orit may be turned to l-amping position by theyokeG, as will hereinafter appear. 1 v

5 WYith the channel her 4: and the cam a sle ib1edand clamped 3S. above-described, the lugs;- 24 are centra y disposed-as shown an he yoke 6 be.

directly pl'acedin position, as above describedz,

o the recept onlo the b ar g" mem r 3 and the pins 40.

- If, howeve'nit isfdesiredtor-utilize the yoke 6 -for moving the; Cam --5 to its clamping posi- 131011;, the yoke is: placed in position relative to the trunnions 32 atan angletotheconductor 3 corresponding to the angle at wh-ich the ca;m-5 is thenjfresting in its unclamped position. Int-his relation of parts, after; the bearing members- 37-andithe pins40have been inserted; in position, the-yoke G-may be moved to its normalfoperating central: position, as illustrated, during which movement of;- the yoke a centrally depending projection 43' thereon engages one of the; lugs; 24 to: move the mm. 5 wit cl p nep t om.

ep r t ena. h y in r p s t normalline oscillations, pivots. aboutthe trunnions; 32 to; permit the projection. 32 to oscillate between the lugs,24,bwhereby the clamping action. between the members 2 and 4 is uneffected. l-fihowever, throughbreak-V age of the conductor 3, or other; abnormal condition, the yokefift-endstomove a greater dis.- tpance about the trunnions 32 than is permitted by the lugs 24, the lug 43 engages one of the lugs 24 to release the cam 5 from the shoe member 4, and, consequently, to release the conductor. 7

In the modification of my inventionshown in Figs. 4 and 5,'in which corresponding parts are designated by corresponding reference characters, the bearing members 37 are placed on the trunnions 32 before the passing of the 'oke le s thereover The bearin members 37, insteadof interlocking with the free ends 34, by means of theshoulders 38, as in the above-described figures, are interlocked with the ends 34 by means of a pin which functions similarly to the pin 40,t0 secure the parts to each other but which also sustains the load of the clamping parts on the yoke member.

In this form also, the free ends 34 are provided with outer wall portions 46 whichenclose the bearing members 37 and the ends of the trunnions 32.

\Vhile I have shown anddescribed'particular forms of my invention, changes may be eifected therein without departing from the.

spirit and scope thereof, as set forth in the appended claims.

Iv claim as my invention p 1. A suspension clamp comprisinga conductoreclamping member including suspension portions permanently associated therewith at opposite'sides thereof, a suspension yokehaving free-end portions permanently related to each other a less distance apart than the outer extremities of said suspension:

portions and adapted to pass into suspending relation to said suspension portions during the assembly of said clamping member and yoke, and members for placement between said suspension and free-end portions and constituting bearing and interlocking means therefor. V T

2. A suspension clamp comprising a con-' ductor-clamping member including suspension portions permanently associated therewith at opposite sides thereof, a suspension yoke having free-end portions permanently related to each other a loss distance apart than the outer extremities of said suspension I portions and adapted to pass into suspending relationto said suspension portions during the assembly of said clamping member I and yoke, bearing means adapted'to be placed between said suspension and free-end portions, and means for securing sa d bearing means in position.

3. In combination, in a cable-suspension clamp, a cable-receivmg member, a cooperating relatively movable clamping member, a

member pivotally connected to said receiving member for actuating said cooperating mem her to clamping position, and means for permanently connecting said cooperating clamping member in lost-motion interlocking relation to said receiving member.

4. In combination, in a cable-suspension ;c1a1np; I rigid cooperating cable-clamping members, a rlgid member'for actuatingsald v members to clamping position, said members operatingsubstantially only by reason ofinherentyieldability thereofand of the con- V ductor-to efiectbinding clamping of the eon.- 'ductor,- and a clamp uspensionmember piv otally connected to one ofsaid clamping mememember to release said" clamping 'members only when the pivotalmovement betweenfthe it isp Y-Qt demeeds apred er l 4 ;5-. In--combmat1on,41n-a cableesuspension clamp,- a cable-receiving channel member hav-v bers "and adapted to engage said actuating suspension memberand the member to which ing registering pin-receiving portions asso- 1 ciated with its opposite side Walls, apin supported by said portions and extending across the channel, a cooperating clampingmember, I

in the channel having arpair of slotted side portionsinterlocking said pin in lost-motion relation thereto, a member mounted on the pin between said side portions for actuating said cooperating clamping member, to clamping position, and a suspension member pivotally connected to the channel member, one of said actuating and suspension members having a 'pair of projections and the other a projection disposed between the pair in spaced relation thereto whereby the actuating member is normallyprevented'from release eX-p cept-in response to predetermined movement s between the channel and suspension members.

6. In comblnatlon, in a cable-suspensloir 1 clamp, a cable-receivingchanneled clamping member including pivot-supportv portions above the cable-receiving position for a clamping-action-eifecting member and pivot support portions oppositely disposed on the outer sides of the channel member below said first pivot-support portions for a suspension yoke, a cooperating clamping. member for position above the conductor position in the actuating member when the pivotal movement exceeds said predetermined movement. in either direction. I

7. In combination, a cable-suspension clamp including co-operating cable-clamping members and means for actuatingsaid membel etoc amp d; eleasevthe cable; s id hers and means operating independently of positive, spring-actuating efiect to clamp and release theeable', and}; clamp suspension member pivote y c nn c e o. he c amp and adaptedto operate said actuating -,Inee11$ to v e release said clamping members relanyeto Y a h other only Whe the pivotal movem nt between the suspension member and the Qlamp exceeds a predetermined angle.

' In testimony whereof, I have hereunto\ snb,.- c ibedmy-n me th s 3rd day o De em er,

. J 'EREDERICfI-Iil MILLER-, 

